The present invention is contemplated for use with underground channel boring systems, the invention being adapted to simplify and expedite the installation of pipes into such underground channels. In typical applications, underground channels are bored between two predetermined points, which points are typically exposed to the surface for access by personnel and/or equipment. A particular such channel boring operation provides for initial boring by a linearly-driven pilot tube, which pilot tube establishes a pathway for which channel boring augers may follow from a starting point to an end point.
Preferably, the starting and ending points for channel boring are defined by personnel/equipment shafts which extend upwardly to the ground surface. In such a manner, boring equipment and pipes may be staged, assembled, or disassembled within respective personnel/equipment shafts. Typically, however, the bored channels are too long for a single pipe section to be brought into the respective personnel/equipment shafts and subsequently positioned within the bored underground channel. Therefore, the underground pipes must be assembled from a plurality of pipe sections that are sequentially inserted into the underground channel. Systems available today for installing such pipe sections are relatively time consuming and expensive. In addition, available means for holding adjacent pipe sections together during the pipe insertion process are typically not strong enough to reliably insert such pipe sections into a bore having an inner diameter substantially similar to the outer diameter of the sectioned pipe. Forces exerted on the sectioned pipe, particularly at the respective connection points, can result in undesired separation of the pipe sections.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a means for installing a plurality of mutually secured pipe sections into an underground channel in an expeditious and cost-effective manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for internally grasping and maintaining adjacent pipe sections in axially connected relationship with one another during insertion thereof into a bored channel.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an internal tensioning means for selectively and repositionably grasping adjacently connected pipe sections, which tensioning means is configured so as to be manipulated by existing equipment used for boring underground channels.